Saddles like this one don't come up for sale often and when they do it is usually some high falutin' Western Auction where you couldn't afford a seat! J. J. Croft is known world-wide as the "Saddle Maker to the Stars" JJ Croft has made saddles for many movies and several Hollywood Stars!

A saddle in J. J. Croft’s Saddlery, tucked away down Tepee Creek Lane about 10 miles south of Deadwood, South Dakota, off Highway 385, would set you back $12,000. Then it’s a designer saddle, and the one who commissioned it is movie actor Tom Selleck.

Jerry Croft always wanted to be a cowboy. As a boy growing up in Michigan, that was all he talked about. Of course, his parents and teachers tried to discourage him and said that there weren't any cowboys left. They said that they had all died with the Old West and the buffalo, but Jerry knew better!

Jerry followed his dream and worked as a cowboy for outfits in Arizona, Wyoming, Texas and Colorado. He was the foreman on several ranches. It was during this period that he developed his skills in leather tooling. When his son was old enough to go to school, he and his wife decided it was time to get closer to town so they opened a saddle shop in 1975.Today, his artistic talents and superb craftsmanship produced some of the finest custom saddles on the market.

His most famous customer is Tom Selleck. Jerry's first saddle for Mr. Selleck was in Quigley Down Under. Since then he has made all of Tom Selleck’s saddles for his western movies plus his personal saddles. Many horsemen around the world like to ride Jerry’s saddles but his miniature saddles are also a delight to collectors of fine western art. During the 1800's traveling salesmen carried miniature saddles (salesmen samples) as representation of their companies work. The miniatures are built exactly like the big saddles in every detail right down to the five-piece ground seat.

Jerry Croft is proud to have saddles in the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the High Plains Heritage Center. Numerous magazine articles have been written about him including articles in The Western Horseman, American Cowboy, True West and Shoot. Architectural Digest featured Mr. Selleck’s home with his first Croft saddle among the fine western decor.